By Marisa Dawson
The Bennington High School boys varsity basketball team continued their strong play last week, securing a pair of impressive non-conference victories on the road to boost their momentum heading into the late season.
On Thursday, February 12, the Badgers traveled to face Gross Catholic and came away with an 80-64 win. Bennington built their lead steadily throughout the game, starting with a narrow 13-11 edge after the first quarter before pulling away with a 21-17 second quarter for a 34-28 halftime advantage. They extended the margin further in the third (22-18) and closed strong in the fourth (24-18).
Junior guard Blaize Jung led the way with a standout all-around performance: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block on efficient shooting (7/13 FG). Senior Brady Nichols added 14 points, while juniors Jax Gifford (12 points), Kale Lamberty (11 points, 5 assists), and Landon McCarville (11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals) provided balanced scoring and playmaking. The Badgers shot 48% from the field and dominated with 25 assists and 10 steals.
Two days later, on Saturday, February 14, the Bennington boys visited Wayne and delivered a decisive 62-44 victory. The Badgers jumped out early, leading 14-12 after the first quarter before exploding for a 20-5 second quarter run to take a commanding 34-17 halftime lead. They maintained control in the second half, with even scoring in the third (15-14) and fourth (13-13).
Kale Lamberty topped the scoring with 17 points, shooting efficiently, while Landon McCarville contributed 16 points and added defensive spark with 2 steals and 1 block. Jax Gifford and Brady Nichols each scored 9 points, and Blaize Jung chipped in 3 points but impacted the game with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Bennington shot 52% from the field (including 50% from three) and outrebounded Wayne 27-16 while holding a 15-9 assist advantage.
These back-to-back road wins improved Bennington’s overall record to 16-8. The Badgers are preparing to head into postseason play, with both boys and girls district pairings being announced soon.
